New breed of police dog jumps across the county border from Hampshire to Dorset

Hampshire Constabulary have supplied a Belgian Malinois dog to their colleagues in Dorset, who are using the breed for the first time.

1.  

   Glenn and Layla

2.  

   My, what big teeth you have, Layla

Layla, who is 18 months old, has been licensed for patrol work.Together with her dog handler, Police Sergeant Glenn Batt,

completed a 12-week initial course in Hampshire from 5 July to 23 September

2010.

Layla will be used for tracking and

detaining offenders; building, property and open searches; and public disorder

work.

Police Sergeant Glenn Batt, from the

Dorset Police Dog Section, said: “We decided to purchase a Malinois to

give us more insight into the training of different breeds and to give us more

scope in the future when selecting dogs for police work.

“Layla has replaced my German

Shepherd dog, Flynn, who had to be retired from police work age six years on

medical grounds. He has remained with me and will continue to do so throughout

his retirement.

“In Belgium,

Germany, the Netherlands and other European countries, as

well as in the US,

the Malinois is bred primarily as a working dog for personal protection,

detection, police work, search and rescue and sport work. The United States

Secret Service uses this breed exclusively.”

Layla will be based at Ferndown

kennels covering the east of Dorset including Bournemouth and Poole.